January Refocus

Charlotte, NC

“Unto us a child is born.”
Isaiah 9:6

Bentley’s mother was faced with a difficult decision. Abortion was an option and nearly became her choice. However, she chose to offer Bentley a chance at life. As many pause at Christmas to celebrate the birth of a child, we are reminded of the significance of a baby’s birth. Few consider Mary’s difficult decision, as she knew the child she carried could be a burden and source of shame to her family. In a similar fashion, thousands of women are faced with a difficult decision every day. Although there are still more than 3,000 abortions each day in the U.S., there are also women who use their freedom of choice to bring life. Whether you agree with legalized abortion or not, we all can agree to celebrate the beautiful result of the courageous decision made by Bentley’s mother.

David Johnson spoke this week at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri. The university displayed a Silent Images gallery on campus this past month before David’s visit.

David Johnson speaks at TED in Charlotte and shares the vision for Silent Images’ latest project, Silent Heroes. Read all about it at www.mysilenthero.org.

David Johnson will be the key note speaker for the Honors Program at UNCC Wednesday, October 12, at 6 p.m. He will also be lecturing to a variety of classes on Thursday, October 13.

Often we take for granted the fact that we can turn to our own government for protection for ourselves and our families. If we’re harassed or threatened, we can pick up the phone and call 911. If we’re attacked, we can expect the police to prevent our attacker from assaulting us again.

But imagine if your attacker was your government. Where would you turn?

This is the condition millions of Sudanese people live under. For more than a decade, the government of Sudan, the National Islamic Front/National Congress Party, has engaged in deliberate attacks on its own civilians and humanitarian efforts in North and South Sudan as part of its genocidal counter-insurgency strategy. These aerial bombings have resulted in 2.5 million deaths since 1998. That’s more than 300 times the amount of people killed in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

Check out this infographic from Sudan researcher Eric Reeves for quick information on the 1,500 documented bombings that have occurred over the last 13 years.

With 139 bombings this year, the government of Sudan, a current member of the UN, is blatantly unresponsive to pressure from the international community to halt these attacks. Despite violating international human rights laws, no serious interventions have been made. Thousands of Sudanese civilians are displaced and in need of emergency assistance, but the government’s attack on humanitarian efforts has created a bleak condition for the people of Sudan.

Here’s how you can help:

Educate yourself about the Sudan genocide at www.SudanBombing.org.

Visit the Persecution Project at www.persecutionproject.org to get involved.

Write a letter to your local politician to enlighten and encourage him/her to bring about intervention for the Sudanese people.

Lily of the Valley helps to supplement funding by running a tomato farm.

David Johnson has just completed a photography assignment in South Africa and Tanzania where he was able to serve 3 ministries.  Lily of the Valley provides education and health care to hundreds of orphans who are HIV positive in a rural area outside of Durban, South Africa. They help supplement their income by producing and selling tomatoes.

12►

In light of recent reports of famine and abuse in Somalia, I feel burdened to inform friends of Silent Images about what is currently unfolding there.

For the past two months our nation has been entranced with the Casey Anthony trial, the NFL lockout, and the untimely death of Amy Winehouse.  While these stories have gained front-page attention from America’s major news sources, the American media has ignored the dire and worsening situation in Somalia.

An article published by the UN High Level Task Force on Food Security reports that the Horn of Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years, and it is expected to persist at least through December.  As a result, over 10 million people are facing a severe food crisis, including 3.2 million Somalis, while global food prices are rising.  Without a Somalian central government over the past two decades, the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab terrorist group controls southern Somalia and continues to block humanitarian aid for the Somalian people.

As American media sources vainly attempt political correctness by avoiding coverage, the BBC and many other international news agencies are covering this story with accuracy and putting pressure on the terrorists to allow humanitarian aid.

One note of caution–please do not read this email and assume all of Africa is experiencing starvation, political corruption and violence.  The current drought is specific to the Horn of Africa, and the political corruption noted above is specific to Somalia.  I will be in Tanzania in one week and expect to gain further insight into the urgency of the situation.

David Johnson
Silent Images, Director

What can you do?
Pray for Somalia
Visit the BBC website for accurate news coverage
Donate to MANA

Here’s some images from team photographer Elizabeth Marx, who just returned from several weeks in Kenya and Uganda.  In Kenya, she served Kumveka, and she also worked with our interns in Uganda, helping them with their work with MANA Nutrition.  Hope you enjoy these great pictures!